national grid

A decision by Connecticut energy officials could have a major impact on New England. The decision pulls the plug on plans to construct more natural gas pipelines in the state while boosting the use of renewable energy throughout the region. WBUR's Bruce Gellerman filed this story for the New England News Collaborative.

The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission suspended reviewing National Grid’s proposal to charge electricity customers for the expansion of natural gas pipelines in the region. It denied the Conservation Law Foundation’s motion to dismiss the application all together, but left the door open for CLF to raise the issue later.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s ruling against a request by utilities to charge electricity users for expanding natural gas pipelines is already affecting a similar request in Rhode Island.

The Conservation Law Foundation filed a motion at the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission to dismiss National Grid’s proposal to secure gas contracts and recover costs for its Access Northeast Project.

National Grid has come under fire for two proposals related to natural gas. The utility company's goal is to bring down the cost of electricity in the wintertime, but some state lawmakers and environmental groups aren’t convinced.

A Rhode Island Superior Court judge has barred the National Grid utility and the state Division of Public Utilities from shutting off gas and electric service to about 4,000 Rhode Islanders who have medical conditions.

The ruling, from Judge Netti C. Vogel, bans utility shutoffs from those with medical conditions, such as the seriously ill and disabled, until at least September 26. The action comes after a lawsuit filed by the Rhode Island Center for Justice, which challenged state procedures for cutting off service to those with medical conditions.

Federal officials are collecting public comments this week about National Grid’s proposal to build a liquefied natural gas facility in Providence. Residents can sign up to speak at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s public hearing beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 8 at Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex.

National grid customers in Rhode Island are suing the company, along with the state’s public utilities division. They claim National Grid broke the law turning off their power, despite their low-income or medically vulnerable status.

National Grid spokesman David Graves said there are many safeguards in place before a customer has their power shut off.

“Shutting customers off, terminating their service, is the last step that we take in a very long process to work with the customers, particularly if they’re having trouble paying their utility bills,” said Graves.

This week Mark and Dave sit down with Tim Horan, the president of National Grid in Rhode Island. The utility company had tens of thousands of customers loose power after powerful thunderstorms last week.

Horan discusses the feasibility of moving power lines underground to avoid this type of problem and the way National Grid prioritizes efforts to restore power once a storm has ended.

National Grid has completed installing the last of seven weather stations throughout Rhode Island. This program collects local weather information in real time.

The weather stations are strategically located in Coventry, Bristol, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, and Little Compton. The town of Westerly has had its weather station for only a couple of weeks, and already it’s proved to be useful, said Amy Grzybowski, the town’s emergency management director.

The Rhode Island coastline was hardest hit with high winds and power outages. That’s why Gov. Gina Raimondo decided to check-in with the town managers of South Kingstown and Narragansett, as Rhode Island Public Radio’s Ambar Espinoza reports.